Cable clamp



April 26, 1932.

C. E. WILKINS ET AL CABLE CLAMP Zig1- v ZZ I Zi Z1 s f \\& Jl

llig3- Z3 il l x o ZZ Zi j# Filed Aug. 7, 1931 INI/ENTOR Cf@ A TTORNE YS.

Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES CABLE CMZP Application nie-a August 7, 1931'. serial No. 555,794.

The present invention` relates to cable clamps, and more particularly to means for tightening 'and loosening lthen'uts thereof.

The invention may have vother uses, howf ever. Although it is herein shown and described as embodied in a cable clamp of the U-bol-t type, it will be apparent that its no-vel principles may be used, without material d change in form, in vother types of clamps, or in fact in many other devices in which the tightening `or loosenin of one or more nuts is an essential factor. therefore, that the drawing and description herein are by way of example ofone concrete form of the invention, and that such form may be varied considerably without departing from the essential principles of the invention as set forth in the, claims hereto appen'ded. The general objects of the invention are to provide vconvenient and rapid means for turning `a nut, or two 'or more nuts simultaneously, and to provide va measure of `protection against unauthorized turning thereof. When the invention is embodied' in a cable clamp as herein shown and described, y the ability to tighten both nuts simultaneously with 'one hand 'effects a great saving-1n time and edort; promotes the safety of the operator and others working with him, especially when workingin an awkward position above the ground; prevents bendil'ig of the lU-b'olt due to alternate tightening of its nuts; Yand 'eliminates the necessity for making the bolt holes in 4the body materially larger than the bolt. The ease and speed of operation` also permits clamps of .this type to be rused in many other situations, such as joining together reinforcing bars in concrete work,`

for which `the usual Acable clamps are `unsuitable'because ofthe time necessarily consumed in tightening them.`

The device may be so constructed that its,

nuts 'can be turned only by the novel wrench which forms a part of the invention. p By limitingpos'session of such wrenches to certain workmen, unauthorized or careless loosler1-ing ofa clamp `is to alarge degree prevented..l This -is of .great -advantage'in cable rigging work, in which the loosening of one t is to befunderstood, Y

clampmay endanger the stability of an entire structure. p

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent 4from therfollowing specification Vand kk55 reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a central section of a cable clamp embodying one form of the invention, showing the wrench, in operative position. s

E ig. 2 is a section on the line 2-*2 of Fig, -l

Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryview showing a modified form of. nut adapted for Aeingegement both by the novel form of wrench shown in Fig. 1 and by a wrench of ordinary form.v 65

In the drawingathe reference numeral 5 designates the Abody ofa cable clamp,`and 6 is the U-boltvextending through holes 7V in said body. The cable or cables, not shown, are clamped between the U-bolt and the seaty 8 in the body in the usual manner.V AThe U- vbolt has threaded ends upon which are screwed nuts -9 adapted to bear against the outer face of the body. The nuts are formed with .lgearteeth 10 upon their peripheral sur- 75 faces, which mesh with a gear portion Q11 formed upon7 the shank 12 ofa wrench. The latter is preferably, but not necessarily, of T-shape, with a handle l13. Y

Means are provided for holding the wrench in proper position with respect to thebody 5,. so that when turned, its 'gear portionll will mesh with and `turn bo nuts '9 simultaneously. This preferably comprises a, stem or pin 14 extending from the end of the 85'- wrench shank l12 .and rotatably fitting within a hole or socket/15in the body, centrally located between the bolt holes 7. AThe pin 14 preferably'T projects a sufficient distancebeyond the end of the shank 1'2 to enable it 90 to enter its socket 15 before the gear teeth l() and 11 engage each other, so 'that proper engagement of said teeth is easily effected. A pin of such length, however, wouldl extend all 'the way through the'body '5, and strike 95 against thefca'ble, not 'showm resting against the seat 8. Therefore the in 14 Ais best'made retractable within the shan 'laas shown, being held therein by a head lr6 'and a spring 17 confined between said head and the trans- 100 seated. If desired, a locking device, such as a groove 18 in the end of the pin 14 and a ball latch 19 in the body 5, may be provided to hold the wrench in operative position. The ball is yieldably pressed into engagement with the groove 18 by a spring 20.

The toothed portions 10 and 11 of the nuts Yand wrench are preferably made slightly conical, as shown, to facilitate initial engagement. The bases of the nuts 9 are also best formed slightly convex, .as shown at 21, to fit dished countersunk seats surrounding the bolt holes 7, in order tocenter the legs of the U- bolt and prevent them from binding against the sides of its holes.

A guard wall or iange 22is preferably formed upon the body 5 closely surrounding the nuts 9 and the wrench gear portion 11 when the latter is in operative position. This prevents access to thel nuts 9 by any ordinary wrench Vor pliers, and prevents them from being turned except by the gear wrench especially provided. If desired, the pitch or form of the nut teeth or the distance between them can be different in dierent clamps or series of clamps, sothat a wrench provided for one cannot be used for others.

VJhen the feature of guarding against unauthorized use is not desired, the nuts can be Y made as shown in Fig. 3, with a squared or other suitably shaped portion 23 formed abovethe teeth 10 and adapted for engagement with an ordinary wrench (not shown).

In this case the guard wall 22 merely pro-V tects the hands of the workman from being caught in the gear teeth when the gear wrench is used, as well as protecting the teeth themselves from injury. y

It will be seen that after the clamp has been assembled upon a cable and the nuts started upon the ends of the U-bolt, said'nuts can be screwed up tight rapidly, with one hand, merely by inserting the wrench and turning it. Both nuts are turned simultaneously, so p thatthere is no unequal drawing up of the two legs of the U-bolt, and no bending` thereof. Moreover, the wrench cannot slip off,l

Vand even if the workmans hand slips, the

Wrench will not drop. Itwill also be seen that the same wrench can be used upon different sizes of clamps, for in larger clamps, ,with greater distance between legs of the VfU-bolt,the nuts can, and naturally would,

f tance betweenl their peripheries would be they bemade of larger diameter, so that the disof course, must correspond to those of the wrench. However, when it is desired that a certain clamp or series of clamps can be operated only with one wrench, to prevent unauthorized operation, the pitch or shape of the teeth of the nuts, or the distance between them, can be made to fit that particular wrench and no other.

It will also be apparent that the invention may be applied to other forms of clamps, and to other devices in which the rapidand convenient turning of one or more nuts is a desired object, the essential feature being the provision of a nut or nuts with gear teeth formed upon theirouter or peripheral surfaces, and a wrench having a gear portion adapted to mesh with said nut or nuts, said wrench being operatively and removably associated with-the body of the device to insure its proper engagement.

1. A cable clamp comprising a body; a U-bolt having its ends extending through said body; nuts threaded upon thel ends of said U-bolt, said nuts having gear teeth upon their outer surfaces; and a removablewrench' having a gear portion adapted forv simultaneous engagement with both said nuts.

2. A cable clamp comprising a body; a U-bolt having its endsextending through said body; nuts threaded upon the ends of having gear teeth' upon their outer surfaces;

and a wrench having a portion adapted for removable engagement with said socket and a gear portionadapted for engagement with said nuts.

4. A cable clamp comprising a body having three holes extending therethrough; a U-bolt, extendingY through thev outermost holes; nuts threaded upon said U-bolt, said nuts having gear teeth fupon their outer surfaces; a wrench having a gear portion adapted for engagement with said nuts; and a longitudinally retractable guide pin mounted in said wrench and adapted to enter the third hole in said body.` V f 5. A cable clamp comprising a body; a U- bolt having its ends extending through isaid body; nuts threaded upon the ends of said U-bolt; and avremovable Wrench adapted for simultaneous Voperative engagement with both said nuts. A f

6. In combination with a body member and a bolt extending therethrough,` a nut threaded upon said bolt, said` nut having 'gear teeth formed upon its outer surface; and 'a wrench removably' associated4 with` said body member, said Wrench having a gear portion adapted for engagement with said nut.

7. In combination with a body member having a bolt hole and an adjacent guide, a bolt extending through said hole;V a nut threaded upon said bolt, said nut having gear teeth formed upon its outer surface; and a Wrench adapted for removable rotative engagement with said guide, said Wrench having a gear portion adapted for engagement with said nut.

8. In combination with a body member and a bolt extending therethrough; a nut threaded upon said bolt7 said nut having gear teeth formed upon its outer surface; a Wrench removably associated with said body member, said Wrench having a gear portion adapted for engagement with said nut; and a guard Wall extending from said body member surrounding said nut and the gear portion of said Wrench.

9. In combination with a body member and a bolt extending therethrough, a nut threaded upon said bolt, said nut having a portion of its outer surface formed With gear teeth and a second polygonal Wrench receivingV portion; and a Wrench adapted for removable engagement with said body member, said Wrench having a gear portion adapted for engagement With the gear portion of said nut. In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification. y

CHARLES E. WILKINS. ARTHUR W. RAFFERTY. 

